It’s time to pack up the lawn chairs, put away the corn hole sets, and clean the grill. We say goodbye to those relatives we only see on a hot summer August day. There are the goodbyes to the people we love and have appreciated over the years. With each summer, brings the reminder that this may be our last chance to interact with those we care about.
Our conversations may be joking. At other times they may be personal, private, and even challenging. We catch up with people to find out how their spiritual journey has progressed. Sometimes we discover that they have deserted certain aspects of the faith that once seemed important to them.
A DIFFICULT SUMMER
This summer was probably the hardest for me as different family members are dealing with various problems: a hip replacement operation coming up, waiting for results of a suspicious spot, and of course the everyday problems of raising children. Paul said in Colossians 1:9, “For this reason since the day we heard about you we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will, through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” Summer is a time of saying goodbyes, but it is also a time for encouragement.
PRAYERS CONTINUE TO ROLL OUT
Aren’t you glad that even though the summer may be over, your job continues? I love when Paul says, “we have not stopped praying for you”. We get to pray continuously for each of these people that God has laid on our hearts. Summer might be over, but the cool days of fall are yet to begin! The prayers continue to roll out.
THE EXCITEMENT OF FALL
I love Fall! That’s when baseball reaches the apex of a 182-game season. It’s also the time that basketball and football begin a brand-new season with hopes of a long-awaited victory. And of course, I get to return to the classroom where I can interact with students and faculty alike. Fall also brings another aspect which far surpasses anything previously mentioned. I get to be used by God himself! He allows me to utilize my gifts to teach a Bible class on “Spiritual Disciplines”. This class helps believers to examine their own spiritual lives and how they can be more devoted to serving Jesus Christ. I ask God to fill students with the knowledge of His will.
Of course, I also get to teach another year of 4th and 5th graders. They challenge me as much as I hope to challenge them! Naturally, I also can’t wait to continue discipling the men that I meet with monthly to help them to know how to be faithful followers of Christ. With all this taking place in just a few weeks, I have much to look forward to. I love Fall!
THE QUARTER THAT HOLDS THE OTHER PARTS TOGETHER
I started this ReCharge with the question “Is Summer Over?” The answer to that question is simple: “No, never!” Summer is like the time in sports when the ref calls for a timeout to give the players a quick break to take a breath, to evaluate their next play. To finish strong in any sport, you need those times of rest and evaluation to be stronger, smarter, and more prepared to move ahead. It isn’t just a “break” from what you normally do, but rather it is an intricate part of the whole. It isn’t an escape from three quarters of your life, but rather it is the quarter that holds the other parts together.
WHAT’S IN STORE FOR YOU?
As you enter the Fall of your life, think about what you have accomplished thus far. Who are the people you talked with about spiritual matters? Do you need to follow up with some more questions? How can you prepare your own life to have a clearer understanding of the Scriptures?
THE FOUR SEASON GOAL
God uses the different seasons of our life to accomplish different results, and as we approach the end of summer, Paul reminds us in Colossians 1:28, “We proclaim him, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.” Remember what your eternal goal is: to present everyone perfect in Christ. Now, go ahead and enjoy those final days of summer!